‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ which means ‘God with us’. – Matthew 1
Christmas can often be a time of over-consumption and creating waste. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate in a more eco-friendly way.
Wrapping paper – Be imaginative with alternatives: brown paper, magazines, fabric which can be reused (look for guides to furoshiki, the Japanese method of fabric wrapping), raffia, ivy… Cut up last year’s Christmas cards to make gift tags.
Gifts – Try to avoid ‘stuff’ that people don’t want. How about tickets to an event or a promise of some time (babysitting, cooking, dog-walking)? Buy local and consider ethical toiletries, plants/seeds or food, something made from recycled materials, a sustainable alternative to single use items or create homemade gifts of baking or crafts. Charity gifts might need to be agreed in advance but you could combine a bar of fairtrade chocolate with a charity gift of cocoa trees (or some other combination).
Decorations – Use natural decorations where possible (holly, ivy, pinecones etc) or reuse decorations from previous years. Consider renting a tree which can be replanted for next year.
Food – Try to include more vegetables and vegetarian food. Store leftover food in reusable pots or wax wraps (not cling film) and find recipes to use it up. Don’t forget to boil up the turkey carcass for some delicious stock for soup or casseroles. Ready made meals and snacks tend to come with lots of plastic packaging so try making your own. Plan your shopping thinking about how many people will be present for each meal. Research shows people tend to buy too much cheese, biscuits, chocolate, alcohol and vegetables over the festive season.
Crackers – Avoid crackers with plastic toys that will just be thrown away. You could even try making your own.
Lights – If buying new lights, consider LED or solar versions.
Recycling – make sure you are recycling as much waste as possible.